Bridges

Translational research transforms currently available knowledge into useful measures for everyday clinical and public health practices. Translation research aims to assess the implementation of standards of care, understand the barriers to their implementation, and intervene across all levels of health care delivery and public health to improve the quality of care and health outcomes, including quality of life.1

BRIDGES (Bringing Research in Diabetes to Global Environments and Systems) was developed by the International Diabetes Federation to provide strategies and solutions, through an educational grant from Lilly Diabetes, to support translational research efforts worldwide. With a budget of USD 10 million over a period of seven years (2007-2014) and through several calls for applications, BRIDGES has invested in primary and secondary prevention of diabetes worldwide. The programme has financially supported and mentored 41 projects in 36 countries, taking the programme's five primary objectives into account:

Enhancing health systems

Improving access to affordable quality care and education

Strengthening preventive efforts worldwide

Reinforcing the human rights of people with diabetes

Improving quality of life

BRIDGES 2

In a further effort to help spread lessons learned from clinical research to benefit people affected by diabetes, IDF and Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) have come together for the second phase of BRIDGES, reaffirming their commitment to helping people with diabetes effectively manage their condition.

BRIDGES 2 will build upon the work undertaken and the lessons learned during the first phase of the programme by funding and replicating a selection of projects from the initial phase, placing an emphasis on the secondary prevention of diabetes and a strong involvement of local public health authorities. The aim is to translate evidence-based approaches from the first round of BRIDGES to other contexts and countries to improve the lives of people living with diabetes.

BRIDGES 2 issued a request for grant proposals in June 2017 for replication or expansion of one of the three selected interventions from the previous round of the BRIDGES programme that have proven to be successful in one country. All grant proposals have been peer reviewed and prioritised by a cross-disciplinary external review group under the coordination of IDF. Three implementation sites have been selected.

For more information about the achievements of BRIDGES and the individual projects supported, please click on the map and projects listed below or download the World Guide to BRIDGES 2015.

1. Narayan et al. "Diabetes Translation Research: Where are We and Where Do We Want to Be?" Ann Intern Med, 2004; 140:958-963

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is an umbrella organization of over 230 national diabetes associations in 170 countries and territories. It represents the interests of the growing number of people with diabetes and those at risk. The Federation has been leading the global diabetes community since 1950.